Fourthly, To pray in a right manner, is, To pray assiduously, constantly, as well as fervently, Luke 18. 1. And he spake a parable unto them, to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not so faint; or as it is in the Greek, not to1 shri•k back, as sluggards in work, or cowards in war. Now men pray always, first, when their hearts are always prepared to pray, or in a praying frame: Secondly, When they do not omit the duty, when it is to be performed; or when they take hold on every opportunity, to pour out their souls before the Lord. 1 Thes. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing A man must always pray habitually, though not actually, he must have his heart in a praying disposition2 in all estates and conditions, in prosperity and adversity, in health and sickness, in strength and weakness, in wealth and wants, in life and death. So in Ephes. 6. 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all Saints. Our daily ⟨p. 498⟩weaknesses, our daily wants, our daily3 fears, our daily dangers, our daily temptations, &c. be speak our daily Prayers. Rom. 12. 12. Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in Prayer. It is a Metaphor4 taken from dogs that hunt, that will not give over the game, till they have got it. A dog of all Creatures is best5 able to endure hunger, he will run from place to place, and never leave till he hath got his prey: So a child of God in his hunting after God, Christ, Grace, Peace, Mercy, Glory, never gives over till he hath found his heavenly prey, Cant. 3. 4. At length I found him whom my soul loved; I held him, and would not let him go. The Spouse never left hunting after her beloved, till she had found him. Gracious souls reckon6 that they have nothing, till they speed in the things they sue for; they pray as if they had never prayed, and think that they have done nothing, till they have done the deed. It is observed by some, of Proteus, that he was wont to give certain Oracles; but it was hard to make him speak, and deliver them, but he would turn himself into several ⟨p. 499⟩shapes and forms; yet if they would hold out, and press him hard without fear, into whatsoever form or shape he appeared, they were sure to have satisfactory Oracles:
Fourthly, To pray in a right manner, is, To pray a••iduously, constantly, as well as fervently, Luke 18. 1. And he spake a parable unto them, to this end, that men ought alwayes to pray, and not so faint; or as it is in the Greek, not to1 shri•k back, as sluggards in work, or cowards in war. Now men pray always, first, when their hearts are always prepared to pray, or in a praying frame: Secondly, When they do not omit the duty, when it is to be performed; or when they take hold on every opportunity, to pour out their souls before the Lord. 1 Thes. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing A man must always pray habitually, though not actually, he must have his heart in a praying disposition2 in all estates and conditions, in prosperity and adversity, in health and sickness, in strength and weakness, in wealth and wants, in life and death. So in Ephes. 6. 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all Saints. Our daily ⟨p. 498⟩weaknesses, our daily wants, our daily3 fears, our daily dangers, our daily temptations, &c. be speak our daily Prayers. Rom. 12. 12. Rejoycing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in Prayer. It is a Metaphor4 taken from dogs that hunt, that will not give over the game, till they have got it. A dog of all Creatures is best5 able to endure hunger, he will run from place to place, and never leave till he hath got his prey: So a childe of God in his hunting after God, Christ, Grace, Peace, Mercy, Glory, never gives over till he hath found his heavenly prey, Cant. 3. 4. At length I found him whom my soul loved; I held him, and would not let him go. The Spouse never left hunting after her beloved, till she had found him. Gracious souls reckon
- 1[Greek or Hebrew], id est, non de•atigati. Cornel a Lap. To pray always is [Greek or Hebrew], to pray in every opportunity.〈non-Latin alphabet〉, id est, non de•atigati. Cornel a Lap. To pray alwayes is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, to pray in every opportunity.
- 2Semper orat qui benè s•mpe• agit. To pray always, is to pray omni tempore.
- 3Prayer, saith one, is Flagellum Diaboli.
- 4[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 5Augustines usual wish was, That when Christ came, he might find him, (Aut precantem, aut praedicantem) either praying or preaching.Augustines usual wish was, That when Christ came, he might finde him, (Aut precantem, aut praedicantem) either praying or preaching.
- 6As a hungry man eats, as if he had never eat before.
